


He Said What?

by Biotic Toxin (DeletedBecauseShy)



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Bilingual Character(s), Fluff, Getting Together, Language Barrier, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Overwatch Recall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-18 03:07:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29851626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeletedBecauseShy/pseuds/Biotic%20Toxin
Summary: Most things, Genji realised early on in his studies, could be translated. It wasn’t until he was thrown into a group of people from all aspects of the world, people that used English to communicate, that he learned that some things didn’t have a direct translation.Proverbs and sayings are some of those things. He realises that when McCree looks at him strangely in the middle of a mission, while walking around the base, on the streets of Paris, and a few times after that.It’s okay though, McCree can usually figure out what he meant, or stop him from talking all together for a moment.
Relationships: Jesse McCree/Genji Shimada
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	He Said What?

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently 2021 is the year of my old obsessions returning suddenly and strongly so here some Overwatch stuff.

—  
For the last week, Jesse had been trying to take down Genji’s walls, even if it was one brick at a time. “It’s a good thing you’re here, Genji! The team needed a ninja!” No response, alright then. Some people just took a little bit more of a push, that’s all. “Well, someone’s gotta break the ice,” he tries again,” what type of music do you like?” 

Again, nothing from the younger man. “I, for one, like country and western.” Finally, there’s a response. He lets out a long groan that seems to escape from his whole body, like an engine releasing built-up steam. 

“Why have you cut open your stomach?” That was not the response he had hoped for. Just to be safe, he checks for any cuts. Genji looks at him strangely when he lifts up the hem of his shirt. “Stupid cowboy. You speak honestly is all. There is no injury.” 

Ohhh, it all makes sense now. Well, it doesn’t. But, he smiles and nods like it does anyways. Honestly, it’s probably another weird translation. It wouldn’t be the first, for either of them. 

The combination of Genji speaking only formal English and McCree only speaking in his own version of the language hadn’t been a very good combination at first. He hopes that it is the only reason that Genji is always so quiet. 

In the back of his mind, he hopes that Genji will warm up to him eventually. They had only met a few months ago, they still had time. 

—  
A few months later, during one of Jack’s mandatory tours, he and Genji were paired up with some local politicians to show them around the base. It was... awkward... to say the least. 

Normally, they weren’t even allowed in the hallways on those days, secreted away in Blackwatch-only facilities like shameful little mistakes. But when two other members called on sick, they were stuck as last resorts. 

He had to admit, they both cleaned up pretty well with the never-worn overwatch uniforms and about half as many dress code violations as normal. “You think we’ve wasted enough time yet?” He asked his robotic companion. 

“Perhaps, we could probably start walking back now.” It was clear that Genji was just as ready for it to be over as he was. So, the both dragged their feet along behind whatever minister or official Jack had decided to charm this time back to the cafeteria where the rest of the group would (hopefully) be headed towards. 

“Ah, luck is on our side.” Genji whispered to him when Jack lightly guided the politicians away from both of them back to the main group of ‘potential sponsors’. Tourists, they were just tourists. 

He bit back the snide remark and chose to stand on the sidelines with Genji, just barely listing to the commander’s long, boring speech. “He put on a cat.” Huh, that was a new one. 

“What?” Jesse whispered slightly, trying not to disturb whatever was going on In front of them. 

“Jack, he put on a cat.” When McCree’s blatant look of confusion doesn’t change, he tries again, “he is trying too hard to please them. Like a cat.” Genji has to swallow down a soft noise when McCree smiles at him understandingly. “It is a saying. One I am guessing you do not have here.” No, no they did not. 

Still, he decided to mentally tab that one to look back on later, it was kind of cool in a cutesy way. 

—  
The next time they run into a language barrier is in the middle of a mission. It is also, coincidentally, the strangest one. McCree isn’t quite sure how he was supposed to react to Genji growing another limb, apparently not the way he did in the moment. 

They had been walking past one of the many food stalls on a popular street in Paris when it happened. Jesse had been talking about an old movie, he doesn’t even remember which, when Genji suddenly interrupted suddenly. “My hand is coming out of my throat.” 

“Genji,” he lowered his voice slightly when the people around them look at him, “what in the fresh fuck does that mean?” As happy as he was that they had forged a genuine bond, sometimes Genji could be deeply unsettling. The time with the mascots came to mind. 

“Ahhh, interesting. You do not that’s that saying either. I must apologise, that must have sounded weird then. I am simply hungry is all, I miss eating.” Again with the extra formal English that he was sure Genji didn’t mean as much as it sounded. 

“Yeah, that sucks partner. Look on the bright side, though, you do glow now. Most people don’t.” A small smile grew on Genji’s lips at the thought. He was strangely proud to know that he had caused it. Happy looked good on Genji’s features. He wanted to see it more often.

No, he would see it more often. He made a mental pledge to make Genji smile at least once a day from then on. Since the last smile had been before that, the day’s goal wasn’t complete. “What if I told you I knew something even better than food?” 

“Then you would be either arrogant or you know something I do not, one of those is more likely than the other.” Well, that stung a bit. “And I thought we talked about you calling me partner.” 

“Yeah, we did. Now follow me!” He guided them both backwards from a place they had already passed. Paris didn’t have many arcades but he had heard about this one before online. “How good at you at shooting games?” 

“Twice as good as you, cowboy.” 

—  
McCree and Genji have both been benched immediately following their return from Rialto. Moira had disappeared into her lab and Gabe was being lectured within an inch of his life, judging by the looks Jesse got from the small window into the interrogation room when he would pass by. 

Just when he and Genji had started to finally... click, it all fell apart. There had been more shared laughs and little gestures in the days before the accident. Now, he hadn’t seen the cyborg since their return, not that he stopped hoping. 

There was something about Genji that was addictive to him. He couldn’t place his finger on it (he couldn’t place a finger of Genji at all, actually. The man had very strict definitions of personal space). 

He had to fight not to get his hopes up when his phone dinged with a text. Not that it was worth the effort, Genji’s name was at the top of the notification anyway. 

‘It looks like the dragon’s head is connected to a snake’s tail. I don’t even care if that isn’t a saying here, it fits.’ His heart beats a little faster when they start talking again. 

‘It’s not’ he responds, ‘but I like it anyways. I get the general concept; explain it to me a bit?’ A smile of his own creaks at his lips when Genji goes into more detail on the saying. Just talking to him can get McCree so much happier.  
~  
That was the last time Jesse heard from Genji. In the days after, it was as if the man had simply vanished. Not that there were many days after that, though. 

Less than a week later, the team disbanded, the base exploded, Gabe died, Jack died. Still, no sign of Genji. 

After that, Jesse was on his own again. A rogue bounty hunter with just as many bounties of his own than ones he had collected. Not once did he forget his old cyborg companion.  
~  
When he got the call about recreating the team, he didn’t want to. There was nothing for him in Overwatch, not anymore. 

It wasn’t until he learned about how hard Tracer and the others were trying that he decided to give it a go. If it didn’t work out, he could always leave again. 

—  
Walking through a base again was a strange feeling, but not an unwelcome one. The new place was just different is all. There were more rooms and fewer people, a strange combination. 

He hadn’t even been in the base long enough to find his own room when he stumbled onto the training grounds. The place was silent Dave for a gentle swooshing of sharpened metal. 

Out of curiosity, he wandered around until he found the source, a glowing green omnic. They must’ve been a new member, Jesse couldn’t recognise them. “Well, it’s not Overwatch if there’s no ninja. My name’s Jesse.”

“I know who you are, cowboy. I haven’t forgotten you.” Oooh, boy was he not prepared for that response. His mind short-circuited. 

“Genji? Genji!” He rushed forward quickly to get closer to his old friend. “I’ve missed you!” He pops off the small faceplate, revealing the same scarred skin and Pearl grey eyes. 

“And I you, McCree. It’s good to see you again.” He accepts the physical touch when McCree offers, letting him trail his hands over the slightly warm metal slowly. “I’m surprised you showed up, I wasn’t even sure you were still alive, unfortunately. It was not a good thought.” 

There’s a grin on both of their faces, appreciation in their eyes. “What can I say, I’m hard to knock down.” 

“Fall seven times, get up eight.” It didn’t take a genius to decipher that one. It was good to see Genji hadn’t changed too much, still as cryptic and strangely prophetic as before. 

“You and your sayings. I have half a mind to shut you up, partner.” There’s a light blush on both of them before Genji can even respond. 

“Oh, please do, cowboy.”

**Author's Note:**

> Yo! Shout out to Taba-sensei for dropping some of these in the middle of class! That was a new emotion that we all experienced! Anyways, if you enjoyed, let me know! ~<3


End file.
